Grad School: FAQs

“Which entrance exam should I take?” This is entirely dependent upon which graduate program you plan to enter. Generally, the program will specify which exams you need to take to your application to be completed. If you are unsure or if it seems unclear, I recommend contacting the admissions office in that particularly program to ask about which exams they generally recommend for potential applicants to complete. If this also is not clear, ask this same question to individuals who are already in the field you hope to pursue. They may be able to offer some guidance around how to make this decision.

“How much does your GPA matter when applying to graduate school?”While your GPA is not the sole factor in considering whether you are a good match for a graduate program, your GPA does matter! Per my experience, GPA matters a lot more if you have a GPA that is below 3.0. Once your GPA surpasses 3.0, your GPA will start to matter less. Therefore, I suggest aiming for at least a 3.2-3.5 GPA prior to applying to your graduate programs. This is a good “average” range for graduate school applicants and will balance well with your additional application materials.

“Is it best to go straight into graduate school from college or to get some life/work experience first?”This mostly depends on your personality and unique situation at the time you decide you want to pursue graduate school. There is no one “best” way to go to graduate school. For some people, its best to go straight from college because they already have the momentum and passion to get it done, because they know if they wait that they may not return, because they still have the extra time to do it, because they have the GPA and great application materials to match at this time, because they only have this one opportunity to work with a particular faculty, etc. It can be beneficial to go straight to graduate school because you get an early start on your career and it can be appealing to be a young career professional.

For others, they may decide its best to wait to pursue graduate school at a later date because they need more time to decide what they want to pursue, because they want to travel first, because they have an important life situation that needs to be handled, because they want to start a family first, because they are burned out by school, because they want to save some money first, etc. It can also be beneficial to wait for graduate school because it often takes more emotional, intellectual, and social maturity to perform well in graduate school. Waiting may ensure that you gain the maturity you need to be successful. You will also have more time to gather other resources and supports you need to perform well (i.e. financial support, social support, etc.).

So to conclude, the best way to go to graduate is the way that works best for you. You get to decide. Neither way will mean any more or less to your graduate school programs.

“Do I need a Master’s degree before I pursue a Doctorate degree?”In general- no, you do not need to receive a Master’s degree prior to pursuing a doctorate degree. It is totally possible (and common) to go straight into a doctorate degree program without a Master’s degree. My belief is that if you are 100% certain that you want to receive your doctorate degree, and you believe yourself to be a strong graduate candidate, go straight for your doctorate. This will save you time and money in our educational pursuits. On the other hand, I recommend getting a Master’s prior to your Doctorate for the following situations: a. If you are not sure you want to pursue your Doctorate, but you are certain you want a Master’s. b. If your GPA or exam scores are not strong (or if you don’t believe the other parts of your application materials will balance your GPA and exam scores out). c. If you believe you need additional experience or training in the field you want to pursue. d. If you believe your Master’s will provide you with a unique and completely separate skillset than your Doctorate (i.e. pursing both an MBA and Doctorate degree in Psychology). ​“What do I do if I don’t get accepted into graduate school?”If you do not get accepted into graduate school the first time, you try again. I suggest reaching out to the graduate programs you applied to and asking for feedback on your application. Generally, graduate programs are happy to provide you with feedback on your application and what you might do to become a stronger applicant for the second time around. During this time, you should work on “setting the foundation”- which will help enhance your application materials for the next time around. Also, consider adding new or additional graduate programs to your list, if you now believe that your previously selected programs are no longer a good fit. All in all, not being accepted into graduate school the first does not mean that you are incapable of graduate-level work. Instead, find the lessons to be learned, switch up your approach, and try it again!